Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-06-24

few moments it was probable that the cart
would upset, and then
Presently the wheel bumped against some
thing, and the cart gave a great .lurch and
then scraped along little.
"Now for it," thought John; for the water
was pouring over the flooring Then came q
check, and the cart leaned still farther over.
Crack The pole had gone, and the cart
swung round bows, or rather box, on TO tho
stream. Whathad happened was this They
bad stuck across rock that projected VI
from the bed Of the river, the force of the
current having washed the dead horses to thu
one side and the cart 10 the other Conse.
quently they wero anchored to the rock, as il
were, the anchor being the dead horses and
| the cable the stout traces of Unframed leather.
| SO long as these traces and the rest of the
harness held they were, comparatively speak
| ing, safe; but of course they did not know
this. Indeed they knew nothing. Above
them rolled the storm and round them the
waters seethed and the rain Kissed. They
knew nothing except that they were helpless
| living atoms, tossing between the wild waters
and the wilder night, with imminent death
| staring them in the face, around, above anG
| below To and fro they swung, locked fast
in each others arms, and they did 50 came
that awful flash that, though they knew il
not, sent two of the murderers to their
| account, and for an instant even through the
sheet of rain, illumined the space of boiling
water and the long lines of the banks Oh
either side. 1t showed the point of rock to
which they were fixed, it glared upon the
head Of one of the poor horses, tossed up by
the driving current as though it were trying
to rise from its watery death, and revealed
the form of the dead Zulu, Mouti, lying on
his face, one arm hanging over the edge of
the cart and dabbling in the water that ran
level with 1t, in CHASTITY similarity to some
| idle passenger in pleasure boat who lets his
fingers slip softly through the stream.
In second it was gone, and they were
once more in darkness. But then by degrees
the storm passed off and the moon began 80
shine feebly indeed, for the sky was not
clear washed of clouds, which still traled
along in the tracks of the tempest, sucked
after it by its mighty draught, Still it was
lighter, and the rain gradually thinned till at
| last it stopped. The storm had passed in
majesty down the ways of the night, and
there was no sound round them but the sound
of rushing water.
"John," said jess, presently, "can we dc
anything?"
"Nothing, dearln
"Shall we escare, Johnr
liz utNlttioft IL ID III bOu ucdi
We are in great danger. If the cart upsets
we shall be drowned. Can you swim!'
"No, John"
"If we can hang on here till daylight we
may get ashore if those devils are not there
to shoot us. l do not think that our chance
is a good one"
"John, arc you afraid to diel'
He hestated. 81 don't know dear
hope to meet it like a man."
Tell me what you truly think. Is there
any hope for us at all"
Once more he paused, rejecting whether or
not he should speak the truth. Finally he do
cided to do So
Il can SEQ none, jess. If we are not
drowned we are sure to be shot. They will
wait about the bank till morning, and for
their own sakes they will not dare to let Us
live"
He did not know that all that was left of
two of them would indeed wait for many a
long year. and that the third had fled
aghast.
jess, dear" he went on, "it is no good to
! tell lies. Our lives may end any minute
Humanity speaking they must end before the
sun is up"
The words were awful enough-if the
reader can by an effort of the imagination
throw himself for moment into the position
of these two, he will, perhaps understand
how awful. 1t is dreadful thing, when in
the full flow of health and youth to be sud
| denly placed face to face with the certaint'
| of violent death and TO know that in few
| more minutes your course will have beer
run, and that you will have commenced to
explore the future, which may prove to be
! even worse, because more enduring, than the
life you are now quitting in agony. 1t is o
| dreadful tlinO who haVp stood
in such peril can testify, and John felt ais
| heart sink within him at the thought for
death is very strong. But there is one thing
| stronger-a womans perfect love. Against
| this death cannot prevail. And so it came to
| pass that now, as he fixed his cold gaze upon
Jess eyes, they answered him with a strange.
uneartAly light. She feared not death so
that she might meet with her beloved
Death was her hope and opportunity. Here
she had none; there she might have all-or
sleep Tho fetterS had fallen from her,
struck off by an overmastering hand. Her
duty was satisfied, her trust was fulfilled and
she was free-free to died with her beloved
All! her love was, indeed, love deeper than
the grave; and now it rose in all its strength,
standing tiptoe upon the earth, ready, when
dissolution had lent its wings, to soar to loves
own star.
you are sure, Johnt' she asked again.
"Yes. dear. Yes. Why do you force me to
repeat it9 can see no hope
Her arms We're round his neck, her soft
curls rested on his cheek, and the breath from
her lips played upon his face. Indeed, it was
only by speaking into each others ears that
conversation was feasible, owing to the rush
ing sound of the waters
(IO be continued merit iccek.)
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